10 Outstanding Campbell Women and Girls to Be Recognized with Distinction Awards

Page Content

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIF – The City of Campbell and the County of Santa Clara Office of Women’s Policy is launching the Women of Distinction Awards to recognize the incredible work of women of all ages and walks of life in the Campbell community.

The Women of Distinction Awards honor women and girls who exhibit excellence by striving for equality and peace, pursuing justice, acting with unusual kindness, and displaying courage in daily life or perseverance in overcoming challenges. A committee of representatives from the City of Campbell, the County’s Office of Women’s Policy, and the Santa Clara County Commission on the Status of Women selected eight professional women and two young women for this inaugural award.

“We are proud to recognize the contributions and achievements of these exceptional women and young women,” said City of Campbell Mayor Evan Low. “The Women of Distinction Awards is a reminder of the talents and generosity women bring to make this city a vibrant place to live, work, and play.”

“These women are an inspiration to their community,” said Ken Yeager, President of the County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors. “By sharing their time and talents, they have made a big difference in the lives of the people of this County.”

As part of the county celebrations during Women’s History Month, the Women of Distinction Awards recipients will be recognized today at the Campbell City Hall Council Chambers, during the Campbell City Council meeting, at 7:30 p.m.

“We applaud the efforts of the City of Campbell, under Mayor Low’s direction, to recognize the vital contributions of women in their community,” said Esther Peralez-Dieckmann, Director of the County of Santa Clara Office of Women’s Policy. “It is an honor to work with leaders who appreciate and value the positive impact women and girls are making in this city.”

About the County of Santa Clara Office of Women’s PolicyDeveloped in the spirit of cooperation between the County of Santa Clara and the community, the Office of Women’s Policy (OWP) addresses new and emerging issues affecting women and girls. The Office looks at the effectiveness of policy and systems in meeting the needs of women. OWP’s goal is to enhance existing cooperative efforts by serving as a catalyst for change, and providing a focal point for the coordination of programs and initiatives that support the progress of women and girls. Visit http://owp.sccgov.org

Alana Rochelle Garibaldi is a Sophomore from Westmont High School, where she serves on the Associated Student Body (ASB) as its Secretary. All the students in ASB depend on her and often request that she participates in the school’s activities as much as possible. She is always happy to oblige and often exceeds expectations.

Ms. Garibaldi’s strongest leadership quality is her diligence. She balances multiple demands at school and extracurricular activities, ranging from being a top student, planning a teacher appreciation luncheon and swimming.

Ms. Garibaldi has earned the respect of educators and peers. She exhibits strong work ethics and she is a positive contributor at school and in the community.

Angelica Bangle has lived in Santa Clara County for thirty years, fourteen of them in the City of Campbell. She is active in the community through the Boy’s Scouts of America, Saint Lucy’s Parish and School, Los Ranchitos Cabana Club and Baker Elementary School. She has positively impacted hundreds of Campbell residents who attend West Valley College each semester.

For nearly three decades, Ms. Bangle has inspired students, teachers, and the community through her knowledge, contagious enthusiasm, leadership and service. She has encouraged hundreds of students to fulfill their dreams by completing a higher education no matter what the obstacles are. She understands the mission, vision and values of the community college and is committed to equity and social justice for deserving students regardless of their backgrounds, cultures, income-levels, race or ethnic backgrounds.

Betty Deal has been a major force in the vitality of the Campbell community for over 15 years, as executive director of the Campbell Chamber of Commerce. When she started, the Chamber was half its size. Through her efforts, the Chamber is a major institution in the City. The Chamber hosts two festivals, Boogie on the Bayou and Oktoberfest which draws about 50,000 people from the surrounding cities.

Ms. Deal’s vision and leadership have helped transform Campbell into a “go to” downtown for restaurants and entertainment. She is accessible to the residents and business owners and a reliable resource for other Chambers. Ms. Deal is also active in various community boards including the Heritage Theater, the Campbell Historical Museum, and Country Women’s Club. Ms. Deal was honored as the Campbell’s Citizen of the Year in 2008.

Erika Montgomery brought the first public relations agency to the City of Campbell, providing local businesses with a cost-effective option of public relations and marketing right in their home town. Professional and personal contributions to the city include founding the first South Bay chapter of COLAGE (Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere) and spending time at the Children’s Recovery Center in Campbell, and assisting in occupational and physical therapy for medically fragile children with her certified service therapy dog.

Ms. Montgomery’s excellence in business extends from Campbell to the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Past experience includes an 18-year broadcasting career in the Bay Area, where she covered Bill Clinton’s Presidential campaign, the 1989 San Francisco/Loma Prieta Earthquake and the infamous Oakland Hills fire. She worked as Director of Media Relations for a prestigious Silicon Valley PR firm and for the California State Legislature as a Press Secretary prior to founding her own agency.

Margie Mitchell served 3 terms on the Campbell Union High School District. She was the first Asian American woman to be elected to an official position in the City of Campbell. During her tenure, Ms. Mitchell served on the Student Advisory Board, a leadership group consisting of 5 students from each high school in the District to discuss ideas to improve the school environment.

Ms. Mitchell also served on the City of Campbell Budget Task Force, and the Heritage Theatre board. She has volunteered at the Korean American Community Services (KACS) community centers and the Annual Holiday Toy Drive in Santa Clara County.

Meri Maben, has served as the District Director for Congressman Mike Honda since 2000. Prior to working for Congressman Honda. Ms. Maben was an educator and oversaw special programs for at-risk youth at the East Side Union High School District.

Through her leadership, Ms. Maben has created unique programs at Congressman Honda’s Office, such as the Student Advisory Committee and the Committee on Juvenile Justice. She has represented the Congressman on the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Aviation Security and Nanotechnology, two critical issues impacting Silicon Valley.

Born in Greece, Ms. Maben is fluent in Greek and advanced conversational Spanish. With her family, she has volunteered in an orphanage in Mexico every summer since 2002. She has been a board member of Vision New America, Safe from the Start, Hamlin Foundation, and Silicon Valley Democratic Forum. In 2007, she received the National Forensic League’s coaching award.

Rachel E. Shanley is a Senior at Westmont High School. Much of her incredible accomplishments arise from Key Club International, a student-led community service organization she joined during her freshman year, where she has devoted over 50 hours of service to projects ranging from fundraising for Pediatric Trauma Prevention to working at the local soup kitchen.

As a junior, Ms. Shanley took on the position of Lieutenant Governor at Key Club, a leader of ten Key Clubs in the area. Mrs. Shanley has changed the entire perspective of Key Club in Campbell, spreading Key Club’s influence among the different schools and encouraging giving back to the community. Now, with service projects occurring almost every week in collaboration with Campbell Kiwanis, Key Club’s membership has increased and the organization is a household name in the community, known for helping beautify the local parks and its fundraising for charity.

Ms. Shanley is the District Convention Chair of Key Club District Board, which reaches out to all Key Clubbers in California, Nevada, and Hawaii.

Roberta McKenna is a retired college professor and has been a Campbell resident for 23 years.

Volunteering in the community has been a life-long endeavor for Ms. McKenna. In the early 80’s, she served with Friends Outside in Riverside as an “in jail visitor”. In 2001, along with her husband, she started a remedial math program for the new Sudanese young men. With the encouragement of a Dean at De Anza College and other colleagues, Ms. McKenna helped establish an Education Fund for these “Lost Boys” as they were called. She worked as a teacher, mother, cook chauffeur, tutor, cheerleader, advocate and friend with most of the 50 Sudanese refugees that were placed in San Jose by the High Council of the United Nations for Refugees in 2001 and sponsored by Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County. Most of the young men she worked with have graduated from higher education institutions such as Stanford, University of San Francisco, San Jose State, and De Anza College.

Ms. McKenna currently volunteers with the Healing Arts Program at Good Samaritan Hospital and O’Connor Hospital. As clown “Fiona,” she visits patients on both campuses bringing joy to hallways and the Inpatient Rehab and oncology wards. She also participates in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life race, waving her magic wand for the start of the survivor’s lap. She also brought many smiles to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Baby Graduates Reunion in 2009.

Susan Foyle became an active community volunteer after a career at the Rebekah Children’s Center. A Campbell resident for the past 22 years, Ms. Foyle is a member of the Campbell United Methodist Church and has been a volunteer in their office for the past 8 years. She writes notes to first-time visitors and takes care of Sunday attendance. She served on both the Nominating and Outreach Committees and coordinates church volunteers. She also is apart of the endowment task force making decisions on how the funds are spent to provide outreach to the residents of Campbell.

A member of The Auxiliary of Good Samaritan Hospital since 2005, Ms. Foyle is the gift shop buyer for the baby area and she sits on the Oversight Committee that provides structure to the volunteer-run non-profit gift shop. The shop gives scholarships to high school students interested in health care professions and donations to the ACCESS program that supports families of critically ill babies in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Ms. Foyle also volunteers for Friends Outside, assisting inmates with letter writing, and has served on the Campbell Neighborhood Accountability Board through the Restorative Justice Program, which provides youth offenders with alternatives to sentencing.

Susan H. Mayer is always looking to make Campbell a better place for residents. This full-time mom and hard working volunteer applies her analytical mind, excellent communication skills, and multiple experiences from working in the private, public and non-profit sectors to all her endeavors to improve the lives of children and families.

Ms. Mayer retired from the Campbell Union Elementary School District Board of Education in 2006, after having served for seven years. As a school board member, she was a tireless advocate for students and schools. She served as President during one of the most difficult budget years the district had experienced and represented the district on several California School Boards Association committees, including the Delegate Assembly and the Legislative Action Network. She was instrumental in presenting the concrete data surrounding the plight of school funding and its impact on student achievement in Santa Clara County. Her efforts garnered community support and endorsements for a March 2002 General Obligation Bond that funded repairs and renovations of classrooms and facilities in Campbell’s elementary and middle schools.

Ms. Mayer was active in her local Parent Teachers Association and School site Council and served on the Campbell Union High School District Board of Trustees for two years.